


Anterior-Cruciate-Ligament

by astromirage



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Angst, Crying, Hinata Shouyou & Tsukishima Kei Friendship, M/M, Major Character Injury, Tsukishima Kei is NOT an ass hole, Yamaguchi tries his best, he has difficulties with letting his walls down
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-29
Updated: 2020-06-05
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:20:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,255
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24434221
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/astromirage/pseuds/astromirage
Summary: In the middle of a game, the unthinkable happens.
Relationships: Tsukishima Kei/Yamaguchi Tadashi
Comments: 3
Kudos: 128





	1. Crash Bang

**Author's Note:**

> remember guys, BLM and ACAB

The game is moving into the third set and despite Kei's usually analytic mind set, he's beginning to become a little frantic. The whole team has been wrestling with the other team for an excruciating amount of time. 

In the frantic fraying of their team, one of the receives goes berserk, aiming for far outside the line. Kei's eyes go wide, Noya wasn't close enough to the ball to get it. 

"I got it!" he yells out, receiving it with one hand. 

Hinata is able to spike it into the floor. Tsukishima slams into the ground, falling directly on his knee, the momentum coupled with the force behind the run pulling his knee all while slamming it into the wood. Pain blooms up his thigh and down his calf. He grits his teeth as he tries to get up. Tadashi watches, notices first, he's unable to say anything, his body is tense, he's watching his boyfriend writhe in pain, all while the team slowly catches on. 

Putting pressure on it only makes him cry out. The team stares at him, the gym is eerily quiet. The only sound that can be heard is breathing and Kei's pained whines. The other team is frozen, unsure of what to do exactly. 

"I need to play!" He says, voice unsteady, he breathes a soft breath. "I'm fine, I promise."

"Tsukishima," Daichi says sternly, "stand up then." 

Tanaka and Sugawara help him stand up. He sets his left foot down and instantaneously cries out in pain, almost collapsing but being caught by the two that were holding him. The gym gasps collectively. 

Tsukishima blinks rapidly, biting back the onslaught of tears bound to arrive. Coach Ukai and Takeda are already on court, they take Kei from the boys, picking him off his feet and walking him off court. Takeda calls for an official time out, they set Kei on the bench as Yachi fetches a wheelchair. 

Tadashi sprints over to him and kneels beside him. "Kei oh my god." he grabs his boyfriend's hands and looks up at him. "How bad does it hurt?" he asks urgently. 

Kei wipes at his tears and takes a shaky breath. "Like an 8 or a 9." He clutches onto his shorts in a desperate attempt to distract himself from the pain. 

Kei folds in on himself, flinching and crying madly. Takeda and Ukai look on in horror, regret and sadness. Ukai doesn't know what to do. It's at match point, just one more and they can do this. It's their serve. Ukai points at the number 12, the teacher looks at the boy who's clinging onto his crying boyfriend. 

"Ukai. He's going to want to go with Tsukishima." 

"I know but our best blocker is out and I want to end this quickly." He says quickly and quietly. 

The team drinks their water in silence. They look at the pair with a similar terror, all feeling the insurmountable feeling of defeat. Kei's loud and desperate cry to stay in the game still rings in their ears. 

"Yamaguchi." Ukai states simply, arms crossed. 

Tadashi looks up, eyebrows furrowed and mouth set into a hard frown. He stands up still grasping onto Kei's hand tightly, his arm limp and tired. 

"Yes coach?" 

"You're going in. Get ready." 

"But coach!" He pauses deliberating whether or not he should talk back. "Tsukki, he- I need to go with him." 

"No."

Tadashi looks down to the blonde "Kei?" 

"I said no." he grunts. 

"B-but." 

"Go play." he says, looking up and wiping tears. "I want you to win." 

Just as he says that, Yachi returns with the wheelchair. The two men help him into the chair and the Takeda wheels him into the hallway. Akiteru meets them there, immediately rushing him out to his car to take him to the nearest hospital. Tadashi watches the door out of the gym and turns back to the courts. When Takeda returns with the chair, Tadashi sighs. 

Sugawara puts a friendly and supportive hand on his shoulder. "Tsukishima trusted you to win because he knows you can."

Tadashi nods and the teams are called back and the serve is called. He takes the deepest breath he can muster and opens his eyes, determined to make sure he made Tsukki proud. Because what else do you need more than pride? He chuckles as he remembers that certain memory, especially because it made Yamaguchi happy to be called cool. 

Tadashi throws up the ball and hits it, the slap that resounds is perfect. He smiles as he watches the ball soar unsteadily and drop off. The other team watches it and scrambles after it, it hits the ground and the team wants to cheer, they do. But they can't, having the thought that Tsukishima wasn't there to celebrate with them. 

Tadashi stays silent as they go through the after game rituals and before Ukai could gather the team to have a talk, he turns to Yamaguchi. 

"Go. Hurry on." he shoos him away with his hands. 

He grabs his bag and runs out of the gym, scrambling to count his money. He opens his phone after finding out he had enough for a bus ride. He finds a text from Kei. 

kei 🌙💕🦕  
 _hey, akiteru is taking me to this hospital [location 📌], ill see you soon. i love you._

He imagines the visual of Kei in the back of Akiteru's car, writhing in pain and it hurts him. He checks the pinned location and notices a half a mile away. He breaks out in a sprint, occasionally checking the directions. He stops at a large white building and tries to catch his breath. 

He didn't expect Kei to be in a room yet. He walks into the waiting room to see two blondes sitting there. Kei is situated in a hospital wheelchair, Akiteru is sitting next to him, staring at his hands. Tadashi slowly makes his way to the middle blocker and kneels down. 

"Tadashi." He smiles softly through the pain. 

"I'm sorry I took so long. I-" 

Kei stops him with a tired finger. He looks at Tadashi with exhausted, red eyes, still producing fat tears. Thank you-" He groans in pain. "Thank you for coming." 

"It's absolutely no problem, at all." He strokes Kei's hand, smiling despite his sadness. 

He notices that Kei's knee is already swollen and bruised. 

"Did you win?" 

"We did." He affirms, giving a ghost of a smile. 

"I'm glad." he pauses and looks down to meet his eyes. "I knew you could."

Tadashi blushes and smiles a bright, proud smile. He leans up, kissing Kei's forehead, carding his fingers through his unkempt blonde locks. Kei's mouth pulls into a smile but it quickly dissipates as Kei's knee seizes in pain. 

"You're gonna be okay. Okay?" 

"I know. But I just feel so-" He pauses and gulps. "defeated."

Akiteru tenses when he hears the words from his barely vocal brother. 

Tadashi frowns and hugs him. "You're not defeated, not yet. You're strong and you're gonna be back to playing in no time." 

He nods and sniffles, letting Tadashi kiss his forehead again. Right at that moment, Kei and Akiteru get called back for examination. 

Tadashi waits there, in the waiting room, fumbling with his phone, texting his team. He stays there for 45 minutes, presumably getting x rays down and going over the x rays.

Akiteru eventually comes back out into the waiting room, fingers rubbing at his eyes. 

"What's wrong Akiteru?" Tadashi asks, standing up frantically. 

"He tore his ACL." he sighs, taking him into a hug. 

Tadashi hugs him back tightly, trying his best to keep it together. "Where is he? Can I see him?" 

"He's being transferred to a hospital room, we can visit him later." 

Tadashi nods as they separate. "He's gonna be alright." he says, maybe just trying to convince himself.


	2. French Vanilla

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two brothers have a talk.

Kei stares at the ceiling, the beeping of his heart rate monitor ringing through the room. The almost silent drip of his IV of pain medicine is somewhat calming. He hears footsteps approach his room and he tries his best to sit up. 

"Kei!" Tadashi whisper yells.

He runs to him, despite Akiteru's warnings. Kei opens his arms and he hugs Tadashi close, kissing his forehead. 

"When is your surgery scheduled for?" he asks, rubbing Kei's cheek. 

"It's in two days. I want you to be there. Will you do that for me?" he asks, eyes masked with worry 

"Yes, I'll be there, before and after it." 

"Thank you." he lays back and Tadashi takes a seat at his bedside. 

"Are you tired?"

"It's the pain killers, they're making me exhausted." he traces a circle repeatedly in Tadashi's hand he holds. 

"Then go to sleep, please." 

"Okay. I'll see you soon then." he says sleep overtaking his brain space. 

Tadashi nods and feels pangs of jealousy, looking at the sleeping boy. His eyes are pulled by sleep until they close and he passes out. 

Akiteru stands at the doorway, smiling that Tadashi gets some quiet time with his brother. He turns away, hoping to find a coffee machine that isn't decrepit or dispensing coffee flavored sludge. 

The day of surgery comes faster than either of the two first years would have liked. Kei is getting prepared for the procedure as Tadashi is ushered from the room. Soon enough, Kei is knocked out and is being wheeled into an operating room. 

Tadashi sits in the waiting room, still exhausted from the last day of overwhelming emotional craziness. The cold air of the hospital warms his internal body temperature, which makes his eyes heavy, just as heavy as yesterday. He knocks out, curled into a ball and head on his knees. He dreams of Kei not being injured and playing volleyball together, Kei spiking a ball into the ground expertly. When he wakes up a jacket is covering his body. He sits up, noticing it's Kei's volleyball jacket. He holds it to his face, rubbing his cheek into the material, his scent flooding his nostrils. 

He slides it over his shoulders, not bothering to put his arms in the sleeves. The pinch server stands up and sleepily drags his feet as he makes his way to Kei's room. A smile graces his lips as he sets his eyes on Kei's slumbering face. His knee is wrapped in a thick layer of bandage and elevated above his heart. 

Kei looks a bit pale and sickly, which causes Tadashi to cringe, not used to the tall boy's face being so tired looking. He sits against a wall, knees brought up to his chest once again, Kei's jacket covering his shoulders and legs. 

"Tadashi?" A voice calls out searchingly. 

Yamaguchi's head snaps up, knowing the voice is coming from Akiteru. He pops his head around the door frame and his eyes fall to the freckled boy looking up at him. 

"The doctor said he wouldn't be up for a few more hours." He walks into the sterile smelling room, sitting next to him. 

He hands him a French Vanilla flavored coffee, which Tadashi takes gratefully. "Thank you Akiteru." He mumbles as he takes a careful sip of the warm drink. 

"So, Little brother," he jokes, nudging Yamaguchi's shoulder with his. "How are you feeling?" 

"I'm worried and tired mostly. I know he'll be okay, but I'm worried about his recovery. I know he's going to want to go back to school right away, I just don't want him to hurt himself."

"That's something you have to worry about later, right now, you worry about him waking up and needing you next to him." 

Tadashi nods, understanding what Akiteru is trying to get across, he knows his pseudo big brother knows he gets worked up too often. 

"Thank you, for everything. I know Kei's going to be stressed when he gets home, with your mom gone right now. You've been doing your best, I know he appreciates it." 

"You're so nice to me 'Dashi." He laughs, setting his head on the first year's. 

"Well, someone's gotta do it." He laughs softly. 

Akiteru playfully frowns and bonks Tadashi's knee. "Ow, what the hell?" 

"You're a little shit sometimes." He sits up, narrowing his eyebrows at the boy. 

"Yea, but you love me anyways." 

"I'm forced to, you're dating my brother." 

"Expect me to be here forever you old fart." 

"Is that an indirect proposal Tadashi?!" He whisper shouts, eyes blown wide. 

Tadashi laughs into a closed fist. "Maybe. I don't really see a life without that guy right there. I'm hoping it's mutual." he says, pointing a thumb in the direction of the unconscious boy. 

Akiteru smiles as he stares at his brother. "Oh, trust me, it's one hundred percent mutual. That boy loves you." 

Tadashi's cheeks burn brightly. He drinks his coffee shyly, smiling brightly despite his rampant embarrassment.


	3. Meat Bun

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this might be all over the place but i felt like this had to be one chapter. so i hope you guys like it. also if i didn't make it clear, akiteru sees Tadashi as a little brother because of his long relationship with Kei, he's family now. lol. idk if i made that really apparent last chap.

Kei wakes up, head woozy and body heavy. He looks over to hear his boyfriend and his brother talking quietly. He feels his stomach lurch, nausea building in his body. 

"Bro?" Akiteru asks, looking up at the green colored boy. 

"I'm gonna throw up." Kei mutters, grasping his stomach. 

Tadashi stands up and rushes to get a bedpan and press the nurse button. Kei throws up violently, heaving and gagging grossly. Tadashi cards his fingers through Kei's sweaty, unwashed locks. 

"You're okay, you're gonna be okay." the pinch server whispers kissing Kei's head. 

He sits up and a nurse takes away the bedpan, another cleans up Kei's mouth and checks his stitches. Kei lays back, body weak and covered in a film of cold sweat. 

"Excuse me sir?" Tadashi attracts the attention of a nurse. 

"Yes?" 

"Why did he throw up? Is he going to do it again?" 

"It's just the after effects of the anesthesia, he'll most likely throw up again, it'll stop soon enough, before he can go home today, indefinitely." 

"Okay, thank you." He turns back to the bed to see Akiteru sitting beside him, trying to raise Kei's spirits. 

He takes his place beside him, joining in on the conversation. They stay this way, just talking until Kei is released. 

Akiteru wheels him to his car after grabbing his antibiotics and pain medicine from the pharmacy. Kei uncomfortably gets into the car beside Tadashi in the back. Akiteru starts up the car and starts driving. 

"Are you going to be coming back to school on Monday?" Yamaguchi asks, holding Kei's hand. 

"I plan to. I can't miss out on school just because I fucked my knee up."

"Tsukki, if you feel you need to rest, then you need to rest."

Kei frowns and his eyebrows arch. "Well, either way, I'm going to school." 

"Kei Tsukishima." Akiteru says sternly. "If you don't feel good, you're not going to school." 

"Whatever." 

Tadashi frowns at his boyfriend's stubbornness and leans into his shoulder. "Listen to your brother Kei." 

"No. I want to go back to school on Monday. So I'm going to go." Kei says, hard and inarguable. 

The shorter boy slips his arm behind his back. "Fine. But I'm staying by your side at all times."

"That's what you do everyday anyways, so does it really matter?" 

"Kei, stop it." Akiteru says, not even turning his head to face the boy. "Tadashi is just being nice, he loves you, he wants what's best for you." 

Tadashi blushes as Kei side eyes him, his big brother makes a few points. Kei smiles sadly. "Sorry." His voice is small and embarrassed. 

"It's fine. I promise." Tadashi kisses Kei's hospital smelling hand. 

Kei nods and kisses Tadashi's head, caressing his cheek. 

Sure enough, Kei was feeling up to going to school, so Akiteru drives him to school and when he gets there he watches as Kei crutches himself up to the entrance, Tadashi already waiting for him. 

Kei gets through the day well enough, only having to take one pill to tame his pain. Eventually Kei walks into the gym, sitting down on a spare chair he found laying around. He sits there, staring at the volleyball cart longingly, knowing he wouldn't be able to play for a while. He picks at his fingernails as he tries not to think about that. 

"Tsukishima!" Hinata yells, running into the gym at high speed. 

The blonde boy flinches but tries his best to stabilize his knee. "Hinata." He waves slightly. 

"So, is your knee feeling better? Do the stitches look weird? When are you going to be able to play again? What about walking?" 

Kageyama walks in behind him, looking a bit annoyed. "Calm down Idiot, Tsukishima just had surgery a few days ago, he's probably tired." he explains, placing a hand on his shoulder, pulling the decoy under his arm and into his side. 

Tsukishima stares at the setter, amazed by his calmness. "Don't worry, I can answer the questions. My knee feels fine, I take pills for the pain, I haven't seen the stitches yet, nor do I want to, I won't be able to play for another 6 months, I can walk in about a month." 

Hinata frowns "6 months? Are you sad about it? Because I am."

"I am. I'm very upset, I really want to play." 

"I'm sorry." Tobio says, genuinely sympathetic. 

"You don't have a reason to be sorry, it was my fault, I should have been more careful." 

"I'm the one who received the ball." Another voice says pathetically. 

Kei turns to the door to see Ennoshita standing there, arms crossed self consciously, eyes watering. Kei stands up, crutching his way to his senior. 

"Don't blame yourself, please. It was my fault." Apparently, Kei has a very soft side to him, his teammates note. 

Chikara wipes his under eyes, the shame from causing the injury easing in the slightest bit. Kei's words ease his mind and he gives the taller boy a sad smile. Kei walks back to his chair, chatting softly until Daichi walks in and calls practice. He sits down as Tadashi runs in late. 

"Tsukki." He runs up to him and kisses his forehead, "I'll come home with you tonight, my parents are out and Akiteru told me that he'll be working after he drops us off. So I'll make you dinner, wash you up and get you to bed." 

"Really? You're gonna do all that?" he asks, looking at the kneeling boy. 

"Yes, what do you want for dinner?" 

"Katsu bowl is fine, my mom should have everything for it." 

"Okay, look forward to it. You know I'm a good cook."

He stands up as Daichi yells Tadashi's name. He runs to go warm up. Kei watches the practice, he feels so useless and stupid and inferior. His knee starts to hurt again and his stomach churns. He whips out his pills and dry swallows one. Tears burn at the corners of his eyes, but not because his knee hurt. 

He calls Akiteru, asking to be picked up early, Tadashi notices this from afar and jogs over to him. 

"Kei? Are you going home?" 

"Yes, I need to go home, I can't watch this all, not being able to play." 

"Okay, I'll go get my stuff, wait here." 

Tadashi talks to Ukai quickly, being excused to leave. He runs to the locker room to grab his bag. He hurries back to the gym and to his boyfriend. 

"Let's go." He smiles, holding a hand out. 

Kei takes it and stands up, too embarrassed to face his teammates. He follows Tadashi slowly, trying his best to crutch his body forward. Yamaguchi's feet stop walking and make a halting stop in the dirt. 

"You're not going to school tomorrow."

"What?" 

"You heard me Kei. I'm sorry but your knee isn't healed, you're only three days out of surgery, you're not okay. You need to stay home." 

"Tadashi, I-" 

Tadashi turns fiercely, eyes watering. "What did I say? You're staying home. No arguments." 

"Why?" The middle blocker seethes. 

"You barely made it through the day, it'd be safer for you if you stayed home. I just want the best for you." he dabs at the corner of his eyes. "Do you think I didn't see how you were uncomfortable all day? It took you forever to get between your classes." 

For once, the usually hard headed boy is rendered speechless. He knows his boyfriend knew what he was talking about and he knew Tadashi knew him better than he knew himself. He sighs and looks away, holding back an onslaught of tears. 

"Okay." He mumbles as best as he could through his closed throat. 

Tadashi walks up to the shaking boy. He pulls him into a hug and kisses his cheek.

"Let's get you home." He motions to Akiteru's car pulling up. 

Kei wakes up on his couch, knee elevated, stitches on full, gross display. He cringes at the sight of his swollen, nasty knee, it reminds him of his uselessness and his inability to play. He just then feels the warmth in his hand. It's Tadashi holding his hand as he's knocked out on his floor. 

"Tadashi?" the boy stirs and sits up, hand still clasped to Kei's. "Why are you on the floor?" 

"Good morning to you too." He yawns and rubs the dried drool off his cheek. "You started moving around in your sleep and wouldn't stop unless I was holding your hand. I didn't want you to hurt your knee." 

"That's sweet and all but your back is probably aching a lot." 

"No, it's fine. I don't care, honestly." He stands up, smiling profusely. 

Kei raises an eyebrow and smiles. He truly was blessed with an angel of a boyfriend. 

"What do you want for breakfast?" Tadashi asks and he leans down, brushing Kei's blonde hair from his face and placing a soft kiss on his parted lips. 

"Eggs and toast is just fine but don't you have to get to school?"

"Staying home with you, Akiteru is picking up a few more shifts today, and I decided I'd hang out with you" He cracks his back and goes into the kitchen to start the meal. 

"Tad-" 

"Stop. You know for a fact I won't be swayed."

Kei makes a full stop. He was right. Kei sits up and Tadashi returns with some water and the pills he has to take. 

He later comes back with breakfast and Kei thanks him with a kiss and gets him to sit next to him. 

Throughout the day the two just lay around, watching movies and snacking on random things they get their hands on. Kei eventually takes a nap, his tiredness catching up to him. This gives Tadashi a chance to clean up their mess and take a nap himself. Caring for a disabled, sarcastic Tsukishima Kei wasn't easy. 

Tadashi sleeps on the floor again, hand in Kei's to make sure he doesn't move around in sleep. The two were enjoying well deserved z's when a loud knock echoes through the house. Tadashi sits up alarmed and heart beating wildly. Kei, unlike him, didn't even flinch, he kisses his temple and goes to see who's at the door. 

He smiles uncontrollably when he sees it's his teammates. "Come in, but please be quiet, Kei's asleep, I'll wake him up after you guys settle in."

The whole team filters in, closely watching the sleeping boy, trying to assure they don't wake him up. Sugawara notices how peaceful he looks, how not in pain he looks. 

Tadashi sits on the floor by Kei's head and shakes his shoulder as they all sit down. "Hey, Tsukki, the team is here." 

"Hm?" he hums incoherently. 

"I said the teams here, get up." 

Kei nods and sits up, reaching out for his glasses, which Tadashi places on his nose. "What are you guys doing here?" He asks bluntly, sleep still present in his voice. 

"We brought you get well soon gifts." Hinata says excitedly, holding up a melon and a package of meat buns. 

"A melon?" Kei asks, staring at the fruit. 

"Yea! I thought you'd like a melon!" He sets the stuff on the coffee table, moving out of the way so Kageyama can present his gift. 

Tadashi sits on the couch next to Kei and leans into his shoulder. Kageyama brought not a volleyball, a huge surprise for Kei. He bought Kei a knee brace, for when he returns, which the blonde boy found endearing. Sugawara, Asahi and Daichi made a homemade strawberry shortcake, Kei having mentioned the dessert to Tadashi in the locker room one day. Kei's mouth was already watering, it looked dream-like. Noya and Tanaka collaborated on a surplus of snacks and drinks. Ennoshita, feeling the most guilty, despite Kei's earlier words, bought Kei a Dino's plushie, one with spots. Kei hugs it close to his chest as he thanks him, he holds it in his arms the rest of the day. Kinoshita, Narita, Yachi and Kiyoko brought actual dinner, enough for the entire team. 

"I-I, uh," Kei tries his hand at thanking everyone. "I, I, uh, thank you all. This is really nice of you guys." his face burns bright red and a gentle smile tugs at his lips. 

The team cheers all together, they accomplished something great, something they've only seen Tadashi do, making Kei smile kindly. 

They all tuck into the food the team brought, Daichi cuts the melon. Kei loves the shortcake, as he thought he would. Tadashi kisses Kei softly, tracing a circle in Kei's chest.

**Author's Note:**

> Twitter: yamastsukki


End file.
